I Hate Every Beautiful Day
by papercups
Summary: This is AU. NH, with some LP. What happens when two people from completely different sides of the country leave the people they love behind for college? Not good at summaries, please just give it a try, if you dont like it thats fine, but give it a chance
1. Default Chapter

**I'm not going to give much of a summary because I don't want to give it away, and there isn't any Nathan and Haley interaction in this chapter and the next but they are needed, so bear with me if you think I should continue this. Let me know if I should or not.**

**"I Hate Every Beautiful Day"**

_Prologue Part 1_

**Winfield****, ****Oregon******

"You'll do fine Haley you always do, you don't have anything to worry about. We love you and we're proud of you, you have accomplished so much. I know how much you wanted valedictorian, but second is close."

"Close is not good enough mom. It's not fair." I wasn't done venting.

"I know honey, but you'll be leaving for college in a few weeks and you won't have to worry about it. Your scholarship is there, and a whole different world awaits you in Texas, Haley."

"I know cowboys with cowboy hats, but I still wanted to be valedictorian, I have wanted to be since I knew what it was, that damn two tenths of a point."

"Haley, watch your language." My mom warned in that mother tone of hers.

"Sorry."

"Will Ethan be joining us tonight?"

"Mother I told you we broke up." I ran my hands over my face and clasped them together. She really didn't get it.

"Well I know you keep saying that, but honey, y'all always break up and get back together. Young love is so sweet."

"Well he broke up with me, he doesn't want to do the whole long distance thing."

"Well you could try it." She just didn't know when to give up.

"He made it clear that we were over mother. He doesn't, he doesn't want to do it, and nothing I say is going to change his mind. We had a really long talk and he just can't do it." Not that it's your business anyways, not that I would actually say that.

"Y'all are so sweet together."

"Mother." I groaned.

"Haley Elizabeth, I don't need your attitude."

"Fine but can we please just drop the Ethan subject?" I sighed hoping to add to the effect.

"Okay sweetie I'm sorry."

"It's fine, and like you said I'm going to have like a whole new life in Texas. I could meet someone there, maybe if I'm lucky he wont wear cowboy boots."

"My mom nodded, yes you could. But I want you to focus on your studies, you hear me, and I don't believe there all cowboys."

"Yeah I do, now if you will excuse me I have a best friend that I have to hang out with till I leave, because she doesn't get to go with me."

"I know, and I'm sorry that she didn't get in."

"It's not a big deal will still be best friends. Don't worry mom."

"I know but college changes you baby and it's just your not suppose to be graduated yet, and you sure aren't suppose to leave me this soon. You're my baby, Haley." My mom pulled me into a tight hug.

"And I'll always be your baby mom. I promise." I kissed her cheek.

"I'm going out with Pey tonight you know that right?"

"Yeah I know." She said sadly.

"I'm not gone yet."

"I know."

"Okay then." I bounded up the stairs to my room and grabbed the telephone off my nightstand. I dialed the number I had learned by hear by the time I was six.

"Is Peyton there?" One of her many brothers answered the phone.

"Haley James is that you?" It was Andrew, I would recognize his voice anywhere.

"Guilty."

"Well Peyton is in the bathroom, but you can talk to me till she gets out."

"Okay."

"Congrats on UT."

"Thanks."

"You and Little Ethan still together?"

I sucked in a bunch of air and exhaled deeply. "Nah, he doesn't want to do the whole long distance thing,"

"Well I'm sorry." He sounded half way sincere. At one point I would have given anything to get with Andrew Sawyet, but time wasn't on my side. It never was.

"Here's Pey."

"Alright."

"So Reese's party tonight right?" Peyton was never one to beat around the bush.

"Yeah." I said sadly.

"Look just because he is going to be there doesn't mean that you have to socialize with him. Just ignore him."

"Do you really think its possible for me to ignore Ethan Landrey?"

"Well it sounded a lot easier in my head."

"Right, but just because he is going to be there doesn't mean that that's going to stop me from having fun."

"That's my girl."

"So you be here in like an hour so we can go?"

"More like I'll be there in five minutes, so we can get ready."

"Peyt I have no one to impress."

"Well Andrew's gonna be there, as much as I hate the thought of you and my brother, he is going to be there, and I know you've have some fantasy crush on him since you were like five, so that might help. On top of which Luke is going to be there, and before you take him away from me, I need my Luke time! Peyton exclaimed.

"Fine whatever just get over here."

==========================================

**Tree Hill****, ****North Carolina******

"Nathan!!!"  I looked around for one person in particular. I found her being bombarded by Tim. I chuckled lightly and went to her side. She smiled at me, and I couldn't help smile back, she had that effect on me. Zoe, my baby, who I would be leaving in less than a month, for of all places, the University of Texas. She was worried that I would find someone else, we talked about breaking up but neither of us could do it. So here we are at a party hosted by me, preparing to say goodbye. She was going to Washington State University, leaving me more than half way across the country. We both got basketball scholarships, I to UT, and her to WSU. I was happy for her, so happy I almost gave up my scholarship, but I couldn't do that. As much as I wanted to I couldn't give up a shot at the big leagues. Basketball is my life besides her and the same can be said for her. It's funny though, she is definitely the most girly basketball player I know. She takes the sport as seriously as I do, which is a good thing. She talks about how I'm going to find someone, but I'm worried she will.

"Hey you." She kissed me on the cheek.

"Hi." I said wrapping my arms around her slim waist and moving her hair so I had better access to her neck.

She giggled. God I loved that sound. And I continued on.

"Nathan…" she tried to get me to stop, but she didn't really want me to. She did that sometimes, played like she was coy. It only turned me on that much more.

"Come on." I nibbled on her ear lobe.

"Excuse me boys we have business to attend to." She stated as she grabbed a hold of my shirt and pulled me towards her.

By the time we made it to the bedroom my shirt was gone and so was hers, her bra was nearly off. She smiled and rolled her tongue against my neck, which made me groan and lose even more control. She liked to be aggressive and I didn't mind her being the aggressor. Within minutes our remaining clothes went every which way, and as terrible as it sounds, I got lucky.

She lay in my arms afterwards, just breathing. I loved to just listen to her breathe, especially after great sex like that. "Baby I'm gonna miss you." She broke the silence.

I kissed her forehead. "I'm gonna miss you too. But we will talk all the time and e-mail, we can do this."

"You're sure?" She looked into my eyes, uncertainty in her own.

"I'm positive. I love you Zoe, and nothing is going to change that, not college not anything, Okay?" She smiled.

Just the answer I was looking for.

"Now, where were we?" I smirked as I flipped her over.

"So Lucas is going to meet you at freshman orientation okay?" she stated from her spot on my lap. We had now made it back to the party.

"That's your cousin right?" I loved messing with her head.

"Nathan!" she looked at me disappointed

"I'm kidding Zo, I know who Lucas is, I have met him three or four times." 

"Okay. I just." It's insane I don't want you to go."

"I know baby but everything is going to be okay. The Longhorns are just what I need."

"Well what about besides basketball."

"Zoe, we've been over this." He sighed exasperated.

"I know." She said sadly

I kissed her forehead, and whispered "I love you." She smiled, which reassured me that things would really be okay.

====================

**So I know not any NH, but I need this for background. Should I continue this?  Let me know!**

Mandie


	2. Prologue Part II

So I wrote the second part of the prologue, and I hope it gave you some insight into their lives in Winfield, and Tree Hill. Please leave me feedback. I would like to know what you like about it and what you don't. I'm trying to make this story more intense and real than I have ever done before. I hope you like the second part! Let me know what you think! I promise NH interaction in the next installment!

**I Hate Every Beautiful Day**

_Prologue Part 2_

**Winfield****, ****Oregon******

"Come on Haley, just one more time!"

I rolled my eyes, all for his pleasure. I think not.

"I can't Ethan I'm sorry." I was about to hang up.

"Haley please, I can't lose you."

"That's not really what you said when we talked about me leaving, it was more like hit the road jack and don't come back."

"I know but I was upset and-"

I laughed at his attempt to play sad. He was happy I was leaving; I had heard that from more than one source.

"What you don't think I was upset?"

"Ethan I have heard from a whole hell of a lot more than one person that you can't wait for me to be gone. You supposedly have your eye on Summer Cunningham? Her? Yeah I know about your little make out session with her when we were on one of our little breaks, as you refer to them. Which was really just a chance for you to screw other girls?"

"I have never slept with anyone other than you." His voice rose, filling with emotion.

"Does that include oral sex Ethan?" there was no way I was giving him anything, not after I heard all the crap that went on while we were on one of our breaks. I knew what happened between him and Summer, and he was right, he didn't sleep with her but from what I heard he did everything but.

"Haley" and there it was, the desperation that I fell for every time. But not this time. I was stronger, and I was leaving tomorrow. I was spending tonight with my family. Peyton was spending time with Lucas, which meant they were probably screwing each others brains out, but still. I wanted to be with my family, I was going halfway across the country tomorrow. I was going to Texas. When it came down to the decision, yes I wanted to be with Ethan, but I wanted into the University of Texas Medical program more. Sure I would be in the land of hicks and sticks, but I would be getting a very good education.

"Ethan I can't."

"Please Haley, I need you." Why did he have to say s hit like that? I was a sucker for lost little boys, and he did the routine so well. I knew I was going to regret saying yes. But it was Ethan. And that was pretty much it.

"Fine, meet me at pier 87."

"Really?" he voice perked up.

"Yes really, but that doesn't mean you're going to get laid. But I will see you."

"Okay." His voice was shaky. We had been through hell in the past three years, it was insane when he started talking to me. I was Haley, shy quiet bookworm and he was Ethan Landry, class clown, senior class clown. He wasn't into sports and I thanked God for that. He was two years older than me, and he went to college two hours away. We managed to make it work, it was crazy at first, when he first left. But he assured me that he wanted me, and Lord knew I wanted him. So while he was a freshman in college, he was dating a junior in high school, not exactly something you brag about to your buddies, but he loved me, and maybe he still does. But I am never going to get anywhere in my life if I don't let him go, and I knew he wouldn't want to even begin to try a long distance relationship. Not when I was half way across the country, so maybe it was wrong for me to choose UT, and maybe I had wrong motives, but it worked. No one but Peyton knows how I really feel about him, and that was the way I planned to keep it. Lucas and him were pretty tight, they always had been, so I knew not to tell Lucas about how I felt. He would only be confused, and confusion wasn't something he needed with leaving Peyton.

Lucas was a year older than both of Peyton and me, but he loved Peyton. If one thing was for sure with Lucas, it was Peyton, which made it that much more difficult for him to board the plane tomorrow morning. We had all planned for us to get in. It was always one of my first choices, but when Pey didn't, and Lucas and myself did, we were at a loss. But Peyton told us to go. Saying something about how this was an opportunity of a lifetime and she didn't want us to regret anything, especially Luke. She didn't want to be the reason for one of his regrets, he had already regretted so much in his life. His parents were killed in a car crash when he was nine, he was the only survivor. He was bounced around from foster families for three years until he met the Sherwood's. They took him in like he was their own, at the age of twelve and created a life for him in Winfield. I lived in the house next door and we became friends, along with Peyton. Later I moved across town, when my dad lost his job and we had to downsize. I thought that would be the end of our friendship, because the Sherwood's had wealth, and I didn't. But I was wrong, he put his foot down and told them they wouldn't choose his friends. They later apologized to Peyton and me for ever doubting us as Luke's friend.

Peyton and Lucas got together our junior year, after a year of crushing. It took work, but my matchmaking skills worked, and there still together today, and happy. Which is what my goal was. I'm one of those annoying types that likes to make the world a beautiful place, and I don't do failure well. That could be why I'm on my way to see Ethan for one last time. I didn't want to fail him. Even after all the s hit we had been through, including trust issues, and his family issues with me, I at least owed him this. All in all he wasn't terrible, he was just a guy. I was just sorry that it took me this long to figure it out.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Tree Hill****, ****North Carolina******

I was lying on my bed staring at my ceiling, my best friend Jason on the floor, thoroughly enthralled in a porno.  I was thinking about her. My Zoe. She had left me the week before and I hadn't stopped thinking about her since. I missed her so much already. She was like my better half. It was crazy how many girls had all the sudden shown interest in me, once Zoe was gone. Trina Martin practically begged me to take her to bed, and it was tempting. Because let me tell ya going from getting it at least three times a week to none at all, was hard on a guys system. But I restrained, because it wouldn't be the same. She wouldn't be Zoe. Sure she had blonde hair, but it wasn't golden like her's. Okay I seriously needed to snap out of my daze or I'm never going to finish packing.

I got up off my bed and walked towards my dresser. I still had underwear and s hit like that to pack. Not to mention what I wanted to take to decorate my dorm room. I figure I will put a poster here or there, and pray to God that my room mate isn't some psycho, or weird or something and make me take them down. I knew for sure I would know one person, well two people if you count the UT coach. But not counting him, I would know one person. Lucas Sherwood, Zoe's cousin. I had met him a few times and he seemed pretty cool, but he was always on the phone talking to someone. He wasn't a real talker. He was pretty quiet and he kept to himself. However, that could have been because he was just hanging out with us to get out of the house. You could never tell if he was happy or sad, he always had this kind of broody look on his face. Zoe told me he had been through a lot and to give him a break, so I did. We played pool a few times and I got him talking some, but it took a lot of work. Zoe rewarded me later for making an effort. He was here for two weeks, and I was pretty sure the day he got to go back to Oregon was the happiest day of his life, but that wasn't because of his facial expressions said so, more because he had a bounce in his step. Zoe said something about one of his friends going too. Harper or something? Maybe I could chill with them? I pulled the tacks out of my wall and rolled up my Michael Jordan poster, best player of all time. I smiled thinking of the time when Zoe arranged for me to meet him. It was one of the most memorable days I had ever had. She was always doing stuff like that. I turned to see Jason jacking off. Definitely not something I needed to see. Put it in your pants, your gonna get it on my carpet. He just laughed at me. I was serious and he knew I was serious but that wouldn't stop him. Jason Winters, my best friend since the fifth grade when we ganged up on our teacher and played pranks. Zoe was a scrawny little runt then.

"I'm serious dude!" I said as I took my drawer and dumped it out on my floor. I would probably need all the underwear I could get. I would probably need to buy more, and I definitely needed to learn how to use a washing machine. I looked down and ran across the letter from Zoe, she gave it to me before I left. I slowly say down on my plush carpet and opened the letter I had read more than a hundred times.

[i] Dear Nathan,

I miss you already, I haven't even left yet and I miss you. I love you. But you know that. What we have is special Nathan, and nothing would ever change that. And you promise me that we can do this and I believe you. Your still number one in my phone and last time I checked the same held true for you. You're probably out with Jason or Mo right now. I leave in two days, and I have to admit I'm scared. I'm really scared. I know you are too, whether you would actually admit it or not, I know you're scared. The world is a lot bigger than Tree Hill, North Carolina, Nathan. But you also know that. I am so proud of you for getting into UT. I know it wasn't your first choice, but we both know it was your second. I want you to know that I completely understand why you couldn't come with me to Washington. Maybe this is a test, to see if we can make it through life together. We have talked about spending forever together, but only metaphorically. This will prove weather or not we can. I won't find anyone else if you won't. We have talked this subject to death, but I want you to know that I trust you more than anything, and I love you more than I did yesterday, and I'm gonna love you even more tomorrow. We can do this Nathan, I have no doubt! I miss you, and I know that if your reading this, you miss me. I'll call you every chance I get. Don't ever give up on us okay?

Love,

Zoe[/i]

Tears came to my eyes but I blinked them back before Jason could see. I thought back to how we got together. She was babysitting my little cousins, and somehow we just started hanging out. I finally asked her out at our fourth of july parade in the summer of 2000. She said yes, and as the cliché goes, the rest is history. I smiled at the thought of her and her braces, and our first kiss. There I went getting all sentimental again. I really needed a distraction.

"Hey man help me pack, I have a bunch of s hit to do and very little time to do it in."

===========================================

[b]Portland Oregon[/b]

"Im gonna miss you so much Peyton." I said giving my best friend one last hug before I went to say goodbye to my parents, and Lucas needed to say goodbye to Peyton.

"I love you Peyton." I heard Luke whisper into her hair. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying.

"Haley are you sure you want to do this?" my father asked, his eyes sad.

"Daddy I will be just fine."

"I know, that's what makes me sad." He pulled me against him and wrapped his arms around me, and whispered, "If you need anything, anything at all whether its money or well I don't what else you would need. I am here. Know that okay sweetheart?"

I nodded and wiped the tears from my eyes, "Okay."

I gave my mom one last hug, and grabbed my light luggage.

"Come on Lucas."

"Okay", he answered sadly. He kissed Peyton one last time and grabbed his carry on, and we began walking through the gate. We were almost through when Peyton yelled.

"Don't go falling in love with anyone else!" she was crying and she was sad, I knew he wanted to turn around and run to her but I willed him to keep going. He looked back and saw her. Not saying a word, as we boarded the plane. Austin, Texas here we come.

==============================================

**Charlotte****, ****North Carolina******

 "Look man I know I'm not Zoe, and I know that I'm not suppose to be girly about this, but I am gonna miss your sorry ass." Jason said giving a manly hug to his best friend.

"Im gonna miss your sorry ass too.!" I chuckled trying to hide how much I really was going to miss him. Then I moved on to my mom, my dad had said his goodbye's last night, which I was grateful for. I didn't want to deal with him in public.

"Honey." She sniffled. "You be good now. Mind your manners and keep your grades up, and have fun Nathan. College is suppose to be fun and I know that you want Zoe with you, but it can still be fun without her."

"Okay mom." I hugged her one last time and boarded the plane, praying to God that I was making the right decision leaving Zoe like I was. When the pilot's voice came on the intercom, I felt calm. This was right, it had to be.

Did ya like it? Did ya hate it? Let me know!

Mandie


	3. And So It Begins

Okay so this is Chapter 1. As some of you know, Texas is very near and dear to my heart. I live in Texas, and am a hardcore Longhorns fan, hence why they are going to UT. ANywho, thank you for the awesome replies! Constructive criticism is appreciated! Thanks!

**Chapter 1**

_And so it begins…_

**On a plane from Portland, Oregon to Austin Texas**

"So I didn't get to see you last night, well because I was busy, so what did you do?" Lucas questioned as he clung to his seat for dear life.

"Luke we're in the air, you don't have to spaz, and there is hardly any turbulence and its okay. Release your death grip, it really is okay."

He slowly unclasped his fingers from underneath the armrest.

"I don't like flying." He breathed out annoyed.

"I know, but it's really okay, I promise. If the plane goes down I'm sure Peyton and your parents know that you love them." He glared at me.

"Funny." And then he resumed his death grip.

"Lucas seriously, it's okay." I laughed lightly.

He moved his hands to his lap, where he began playing with his fingers, obviously trying to avoid thinking about the plane that he was currently on. He sighed deeply, held his hands together, and turned towards me.

"So what did you do last night?"

I sighed; I really didn't want to get into an argument with Lucas over Ethan, and if I answered him truthfully I would do just that. "Not a whole lot."

"We're you with Ethan?"

"What are you my dad?"

"No I just, know how you and Ethan work and if you gave him one last night, then…"

"Then what Lucas? I'm in love with him, okay. You don't fall out of love when you break up with someone, it's not that easy. It would be a hell of a lot easier if that's how it worked. But it's not, and I'm still very much in love with Ethan. And I know he loves me, but I need to do this, I have practically made my whole world in Winfield revolve around him, and I need my own world. I need to not have to depend on someone to get by. And by going to Texas, I'm proving that I can do that."

"Did you sleep with him?"

"I don't see how that's your business."

"It's just a question."

I bit my lip and turned towards the window, looking out at the clear sky.

"Did you or not?"

I shot him a glare and continued staring.

"Haley…"

I spun around, "Yes Lucas I did. Okay I slept with Ethan."

"Oh, so are y'all going to get back together?"

"No we're not. It just kind of happened okay. It's really hard to say no to him."

"Right…' he looked at me as if he were disappointed.

"Right what? I know I messed up okay, so before you give me the big brother lecture on how I didn't have to sleep with him, I'm aware okay. But I love him and it wasn't completely planned, so I just." Tears began to form in my eyes.

He put his arm around me, "I'm sorry Haley I didn't mean to push you."

I ran my fingers underneath my eyes, to wipe the tears away. "It's all good." I smiled and began fiddling my thumbs. Man I was turning into Lucas.

"Hey didn't you say you knew someone?" I questioned him.

"Well Haley I know a lot of people." He teased.

"No I mean that's going to UT, your cousin's boyfriend or something."

"Oh yeah I forgot about him, yeah he's from North Carolina, total pretty boy jock."

"You mean like you?"

"I am not a pretty boy jock."

"Right that's why you're going on a scholarship to UT, to play football? But you're not a pretty boy jock at all."

"I resent that."

"The truth hurts little bud." I

He smiled, but it turned into a frown soon after.

"I don't know if I can do this Haley, maybe I shouldn't come."

"Luke you can't live your life with regrets, and you know as well as Peyton that if you don't take this chance you'll regret it and eventually it could turn into resentment toward Pey, and I know that's the last thing you want."

He nodded his head in agreement. "You're probably right, but I miss her a lot"

"I know you do, but you love her and this is going to work." I had to reassure him.

"You have to know that it's going to take work, because there will be tons of girls throwing themselves at you, because your one of four in the country that were recruited for UT football, so your automatically Mr. It, whether you want it or not, so self control will be a big issue."

"I don't know what your talking about you'll be with me every step of the way."

"No I don't think so, you can befriend pretty boy jock from North Carolina, and he can make sure you don't screw up, I have to focus on my studies if I want to get in their medical program."

"Hales you're going to get in and you know maybe you will meet a cute med student to take your mind off Ethan."

"Doubtful."

"You never know."

"Your right I don't know, which is a good thing, because for once I don't know. I don't know what to expect, and I don't know what's in store for me. I know that I'm going to get a good education and the rest will happen when I get there, but seriously if you think that I'm going to be your lap dog, I'm not. Peyton trusts you, and that means without me guiding you and telling you no, which means that you have to do it on your own."

"Is this your way of saying we're not friends anymore?" he asked dramatically.

"Yes Lucas, I'm throwing our friendship away, it means absolutely nothing." I hit him in the back of the head.

"No Lucas, I just don't think I can be your party buddy."

"Well can you be my study buddy?"

"If we were in any of the same classes I could, but from what I can tell you took easy classes, and I took not so easy classes, I'm almost practically a sophomore, all those AP classes helped." I let a smug smile appear on my face.

"You and your damn brain." He chuckled before putting his head phones on and closing his eyes.

**On a plane from Charlotte, North Carolina to Austin Texas**

How I had managed to get stuck by this little girl was unbeknownst to me.

"Hi I'm Addison Faulkner", she said sticking her hand out, "And you are?"

"Nathan."

"How old are you Nathan?"

"I'm 18, how old are you?"

"I don't know that I should tell you that, you could try and molest me or something. Did you know that every two minutes another kid gets molested? Isn't that like the freakiest thing ever, and every forty five seconds another person is raped? Aren't those stats mind boggling?"

I nodded; this was definitely one twisted girl. I stayed quiet after that, not wanting her to spout off any absurd facts that she obviously knew off the top of her head.

"I'm nine." Did she really just say she was nine? She shouldn't know statistics like that.

"Well Addison, why are you on this plane all by yourself?"

"I don't know that I can trust you, let me see your license, we'll see if your name really is Nathan."

"Okay." I pulled out my wallet and handed her my license. She examined the picture very closely and then studied my face.

"Okay Mr. Nathan Scott, I'm on my way home."

"Where are you coming from?"

She rolled her eyes at me, "North Carolina obviously."

"Well why were you in North Carolina?"

"You're just full of questions, I don't know enough about you to tell you why I was there." She spoke incredibly fast. This girl definitely knew too much for her own good.

"Why are you going to Texas?"

"I'm going to UT."

"Like the college?"

"Yeah the university."

"Oh I'm sorry the university."

"Are you smart?"

"I get by."

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Yeah I do."

"You have a picture of her?"

"Yeah I do."

"I figured you did, may I please see it?"

I pulled my wallet back out and flipped to Zoë's senior picture. I pulled it out of my wallet and handed it to her.

She examined it closely, she liked to do that, examine everything very closely.

"She's pretty, but she's no Shirley Temple." I smiled nothing that this little girl said would surprise me.

"I think she's pretty."

"Well that's a good thing."

"Are you a good boyfriend?"

"I like to think I am."

"Why did you choose UT?"

"Because I didn't get in at UCLA, and UT was my second choice."

"Well see I don't know if I like that."

"And why is that?"

"My daddy is the president of your second choice."

My mouth dropped open, maybe she could surprise me. "You're the president's daughter? Why aren't you in Austin?"

"I'm coming home from boarding school."

"Summer vacation?"

"Yeah."

"You like boarding school?"

"No, I'm deprived of the male species and it's not particularly a good thing."

I chuckled at her. "You like boys?"

"Well duh, what girl doesn't? Wait don't answer that, I know the statistic and I don't believe in the lesbian lifestyle." She shook her finger in my face a few times.

I nodded.

"But you being male, probably enjoy the idea of two women together, because that's how the male brain works, I've read some relationship self help books, and I have a little bit of insight into the male brain."

I rubbed my eyes, this girl was something else.

Silence came over us for a few minutes.

"Do you love your girlfriend?"

I nodded as a smile appeared on my face.

"What's her name?"

"Zoë."

"Sounds exotic."

I laughed again.

"Where is she?"

"Who?"

"Your girlfriend, duh!" she smacked me in the head.

"Oh…" I frowned.

"So she's not going to UT, obviously."

"Uhh no she is umm in Washington."

"Yikes, that sucks, is your middle name Daniel?"

My eyes grew big, how in the hell did she know that.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because my best friend Oksana, yeah I know her name is weird but she was named after that skater chick but anyways, her older sister, Nancy, also named after a figure skater, is going to be a freshman just like you, and she calls you NDS, but your supposedly the hot new freshman and like twelve girls that I personally know want to jump you, and they are like determined to make you girlfriendless, even though that's not really a word."

I nodded. "That's uhh that's good to know."

"Yeah I guess, now I have something to make Nancy jealous with." She smiled.

"I guess you do."

"So what kind of music do you listen to Nathan?"

"Rap mostly, but I think they mostly listen to country in Texas."

"Oh my God! Do you really believe that? I mean do I have on a cowgirl hat and cowgirl boots? No I don't think I do. So get that preconceived notion that we are all ahem kickers, out of your head, because we're not."

I put up my hands in defense, "Sorry Addy."

"Addy? No one calls me Addy, what gives you the right?"

"I like the name Addy, and that's what I'm going to call you."

"Like a nickname?"

"Yeah, like a nickname."

"Even more to make Nancy mad about."

"You don't like this Nancy girl?"

"No, she's a total bitch. I mean pardon my language, she isn't a very nice young lady."

"Right…"

"Who is your favorite music artist?"

"Me? Kanye all the way man."

"You listen to Kanye?"

"And Lloyd Banks too, he is seriously drool worthy."

"You got a thing for black rappers?"

"Yeah fifty has a killer body, but I don't like any of his songs, except 'In Da Club'

"And Em, heh, he is a silly white boy trying to be black."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah, very much right."

"You probably think you're never wrong?"

"No, I know when I'm wrong, it just rarely happens."

"I see."

"That's a good thing, I mean that you can see and all."

"Yes I suppose it is."

"Are you worried?"

"Why would I be worried?"

"About Zoë?"

"You want me to give to the statistic for long distance relationships?"

"No that's okay, I don't need it."

"That's right, because you love her and y'all are going to be together forever, happy and make lots of happy babies, right?"

"We haven't actually thought that far."

"Well I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say it won't work. Something tells me you'll meet someone else, and you'll fight your feelings, but in the end it won't matter, because you will have already given your heart away to someone besides this Zoë chick. But that's just my prediction."

"Are you sure you're only nine?"

"Why? Do my boobs say otherwise?"

I chuckled and shook my head. "No."

"Well then if I must be honest I'm really eight and a half, but I'm almost nine."

"And you read relationship self help books?"

"Dr Suess is so 1970."

"Right."

"What he is? And Danielle Steel, she can write, really hot sex scenes."

"I wouldn't know."

"That's good I might think you were gay, and I don't believe in the gay way either."

**Austin****, ****Texas**** airport ****7:35 p.m.******

"Lucas wake up your phone is going nuts."

I sighed, waking him up was pointless. I grabbed his phone from his bag and answered it while attempting to hit Lucas over the head with a pillow.

"Hello."

"Lucas? This isn't Lucas. Who is this?"

"Haley, hang on a sec, I'm trying to wake him up, and can I at least tell him who is calling."

"Oh yeah, this is Zoë, and I need him to befriend my boyfriend, like oh in an hour."

"Okay hang on just a second."

After hitting him with the pillow a few dozen times, he started to stir.

"Lucas wake up, A, we are here and B. Your cousin Zoë is on the phone, I think she wants you to befriend pretty boy jock." I said a little too loudly, shoving the phone in his face.

"Hello." Lucas answered still not quite awake.

"Oh hey Zo, whats up?"

"Yeah I think we can do that."

Yeah, love you too little cous, talk to you later, alright, bye."

"So we have to befriend pretty boy jock?"

"Uhh.." he yawned and stood up, "Yeah, his flight gets in like thirty five minutes from now, and she wants me to inform you his name is Nathan."

I laughed as we made our way to the baggage claim. "Right.. Nathan gotcha."

**Austin****,****Texas****8:15 p.m.******

"I'm really fine Nathan, my dad will be here any second."

"That's all fine and great, but I'm not leaving you to get kidnapped, mind giving me the stats on that."

"Every fifty seconds another kid is kidnapped."

"I knew you'd know Addy."

My cell phone sounded with the ringtone of Jay Z. I reached inside my pocket to answer it.

"Can I answer it?" I handed the phone to her.

"Nathan Scott's pimp service, how can I assist you?"

"Addy!" I warned her. She giggled.

"He is here, who is this? Is this Zoë?

"Well then ya I guess." She scowled and handed me the phone.

"Baby who is that?" It was Zoë, the sweet sound of her voice brought a smile to my face.

"That would be Addy, my friend from the airplane." I winked at her.

"Oh okay sweetie, well I am having Lucas meet you at the airport, I think y'all will be rooming in the same house, and you don't know anyone, so y'all can go there together, and I think he is with his friend, some girl Hallie, I think."

"Okay. Where are they meeting me?"

"At gate D1."

"Okay, I love you."

"I love you too baby, call me when you get things settled okay?"

"Alright, bye Zo love you."

"Bye Nathan I love you too." And then she hung up and I pressed the end key on my cell phone.

"Addy I have to meet someone in like ten minutes, and I think she said they were already here, come with me to go get them and then we can come back and wait for your dad okay?"

"Whatever you say Nathan, I think I trust you."

I smiled at her, "good, come on."

===========================

"Hey is that him?" I asked Lucas pointing to the guy with the little girl coming towards us.

Lucas turned his head to where I was pointing. "Yeah that's as you call him, pretty boy jock."

"Cool, let's go then."

"Nathan long time no see", they did the universal guy hand shake.

I looked at the little girl, she was adorable. Dark hair and blue eyes, "She yours?"

He finally noticed me standing there. "Excuse me?"

"This little girl is she yours or something?"

He looked at me like I had two heads, "no." he shook his head fervently. 

"And you think its going to work pfft." The little girl was looking up at pretty boy jock who was looking at me.

He glanced down at her. "Shut up."

"I know how these things work." She stated with her hands on her hips.

"Okay girly, whatever you say."

"No she isn't mine, God no."

He was obviously disturbed by the idea.

"You're Hallie?"

I laughed. "Close."

"Haley."

"Oh well I'm Nathan, its nice to meet you Haley." He smiled as he put out his hand for me to shake. Pretty boy jock had manners, I had to give him props. He directed his attention back to Luke. "I have a feeling this isn't the last we are going to see of each other if Zoë has anything to do with it."

Lucas laughed, "Probably not."

"Umm, I have to get her back to our gate, I couldn't leave her by herself, and I don't trust airport security here, so if we could head this way it would be great."

He was nice, that was for sure. The little girl kept looking at me. She hung back and walked slower as the four of us went back to the gate they originally came from.

"You're name's Haley huh?" she inquired.

"Yeah that's my name, what's your name?"

"Addison."

"Its nice to meet ya Addy." I said putting my hand on her head.

She smiled devilishly. And didn't say another word as we walked back to her gate.

This was long, I know. I hope you liked it, and I hope you read it all, this chapter was meant to be funny and I hope that I established that. This is a definite work in progress, so just bear with me. I really like my idea for this story and I hope you do as well. Please review,  criticism is wanted, I can handle it.

Mandie


	4. I don't want to be your friend

Okay so here is Chapter 2, I really don't like this chapter very much at all, but no matter how many times I rewrote it still ended up pretty much the same way. I love writing this story, but I don't know that I can do it. I want to do it, because I love this idea, but this is new for me, and I'm not sure I can do a good enough job. If I feel that the story isn't up to par, I will quit writing it. The feedback is wonderful, I am so glad that y'all are enjoying this. It's fun to write, but it's a challenge. Please keep up the reviews. I can handle criticism if something is cheesy or it sucks in some way, [b]please[/b] let me know!

**Chapter 2**

_ I don't want to be your friend…_

We had almost reached the gate that they were at before, the guys in front of me and what looked like to be a six year old beside me, when she spoke.

"You have a boyfriend?"  I sighed. I didn't want to talk about my love life with a six year old.

"Not really."

She stopped walking and looked at me, "What do you mean not really? How can you only sort of have a boyfriend?" She was tapping her foot like my answer had to be said quickly or something.

"I did have a boyfriend, one for three years, but we broke up."

"So you don't?" She asked that evil grin forming on her face again, as she started walking again.

"No, not really, but my ex boyfriend and I are known for getting back together. Wait why am I telling this to a six year old?"

We finally reached them and she went back to pretty boy jock, what was his name again. Damn I'm bad with names. When she was standing right beside him she said, "I'm eight and half, thank you very much."

He looked down at her and then back up to me, "Was she spouting off random facts for you too?"

I slowly shook my head no. "I didn't know she knew random facts."

She went to talk to Lucas, after smiling at me evilly.

He chuckled lightly, "Addy knows a lot more than an eight year old should."

"Really?" I was trying to sound interested, but it was getting hard by the second. I was so tired.

"Oh yeah on the plane ride here, it's insane what she knows."

I laughed at the expression on his face.

"She reads relationship self help books." I laughed again. This guy was funny with all his facial expressions.

"Where is her dad?" I figured I would ask why he was with her and not her dad. "Or are you related or something?"

"No no, and I think I'm glad I'm not by the way she was talking, it could be scary. I have no idea where her dad is, but I told her I wouldn't leave her, so yeah. I mean if y'all have places to go, y'all can go on without me."

I looked towards Lucas, who had pretty near the same expression as Nathan previously had. Maybe there was a lot more to the little girl than met the eye. "I think we're probably going to stay here, because it seems as though Addy has taken a liking to Luke."

Silence came over us, very awkward at that.

"So your going to UT right?" he asked, I assumed he didn't like quiet.

"Yeah."

And there it was again, awkward silence. You know the silence that happens when you first meet someone and idle chit chat becomes less than enough? The kind of quiet that is inevitable.

"Dude pimp master!" Nathan closed his eyes and bit his bottom lip; I think she managed to embarrass the poor guy.

"My name is Nathan, Addy."

"Yeah well I like the name pimp master, and if you can call me Addy then I can call you pimp master."

"Right… what?"

"Lucas, I mean, pimp master 2, he likes country!" She burst into laughter at that, the sound of her laugh was infectious, and I knew that she was making fun of my dear friend, and I began to laugh too.

She shot her head up when she realized I was laughing.

"What's so funny?" She was now in my face.

"I make fun of Lucas all the time, because he listens to country and I think its funny how you barely know the guy and you're laughing at the same thing I have been laughing at since I was thirteen. That dear Addy is what I'm laughing at" I was trying to be polite.

"Oh…well then I guess that's okay."

"So I like country, at least I'll fit in here."

"Man you shouldn't have said that." Nathan looked at Lucas and then at Addy, who was now standing right beside the chair Lucas was sitting in, her hand placed firmly on her hips."

"In the defense of Texas, the best state ever! I will just inform you now that we are not hicks! Do you understand that pimp master 2? I want you to get the preconceived notion out of your head that we are all kickers!" She shouted the last part in his ear.

"Right, I'm sorry."

"Man you better be, she will annihilate you or something." Nathan laughed lightly as he directed his words towards Lucas."

Lucas's cell phone began to ring, the sounds of  "She Thinks My Tractors Sexy" coming through. He rolled his eyes, no way was he going to win the argument, that hadn't even really started. "Excuse me." He got up and walked towards the other end of the chairs, and plopped down in one.

"You know who he's on the phone with?" Addison asked me as she plopped down in the floor opposite of Nathan and me.

"Probably Pey."

"Who's Pey?" Nathan asked still trying to keep a conversation going.

"My best friend, his girl friend."

Addy stood up and marched over to Nathan. "That Peyton girl she is a Shirley Temple."

I laughed, what the hell was this girl's problem?

"And what pray tell are you laughing at now?" She was a snooty little girl.

"It's best if you say nothing, it works better that way." Nathan said smiling at me.

I nodded, "Right."

"Okay so Addy do you have a boyfriend?" I asked sending the questions her way.

"Pfft No, I go to an all girl's school, there is a serious lack of testosterone there. It only sucks a lot."

"Is that so?"

"Yes that is so."

Nathan noticed Addy's attitude towards Haley, it puzzled him. But everything this girl did or said for that matter puzzled him.

"What kinds of music do you like Addy?" I wasn't about to stop with the questions, if I did she would start asking me questions again.

"Rap mostly."

"Really? You like Eminem?"

"Pshh No, he thinks he's black."

"Right, okay."

"What kind of music do you like Nathan, I mean who are your favorite music artists as you put it?" he smiled at the little girl who was now in the floor again.

"I like Fifty Cent and Jay Z."

"Interesting."

"What about you Hallie." I was about to inform her of my correct name.

"Addy you know her name isn't Hallie, your good with names."

"Fine, Haley" she said every syllable slowly. "What kind of music do you like?"

"Well I like Lloyd Banks, but I like Norah Jones, and-"

"Addison Michelle Faulkner!"

She jumped up and began running towards the man walking towards us.

"Daddy!!! You need to meet my friends."

The man nodded his head. "Okay sweetheart."

She brought him to us, I knew I had seen him somewhere, but I couldn't place him. She went to Nathan first, "Daddy, this is Nathan Scott, the new freshman on the basketball team, and this right here is Haley, I don't know her last name, because I didn't get the chance to ask, and then that guy over there on the cell phone, that's Lucas Sherwood, one of the new freshman on the football team.

The man stuck out his hand for Nathan to shake, "it's nice to have you onboard with us." Nathan smiled and said "I'm happy to be here sir."

"Is she going to?" He motioned towards me.

"Yeah she is, she is almost a sophomore." I looked at her like she was insane. "Lucas told me about her."

"Well it's nice to have you onboard as well. It seems you have academically achieved quite a bit."

I nodded my head yes, slightly embarrassed. "Thank you for looking after my baby for me, I got caught up in a meeting, and our nanny was supposed to come get her, but she didn't."

"Can I fire this one?" she had a bright smile on her face.

"Yeah sweetheart if you want."

"It was very nice meeting both of you and I look forward to seeing you on campus." He smiled and turned to leave.

"Daddy wait."

Addy ran over to Nathan and whispered something in his ear, which got a chuckle out of him. "Okay, that's good to know."  She whispered something again and he pulled out a pen and paper from his carry on, and wrote something down and handed it to her. She hugged him and turned around and ran back to her dad.

"Who was that?" Lucas asked closing his cell phone shut.

"I don't know, I think he works at the college or something."

Nathan looked at me and smiled, "He is the president."

"Are you serious?" my mouth dropped open.

"Yeah."

"Was that Pey?"

Lucas sighed deeply and ran a hand through his blonde locks, "Yeah."

"So Lucas and I have a rental car, if you want us to drop you off at the campus."

"Actually Haley I'm pretty hungry." He said rubbing his stomach for the effect.

"Lucas you're always hungry. You can eat when you get to the dorm."

"Actually I thought we could take Nathan and ourselves to get something to eat."

I looked at Nathan, who looked to be dazed.

"Nathan, you hungry?" Lucas tried to shake him out of his daze.

"Nathan, pretty boy jock!" He snapped his head up, "Excuse me?"

"Haley!!" Lucas scolded.

"Sorry." I breathed out. I offended him.

"What did you call me?"

"Nothing,." I tried.

"No seriously what did you call me?"

I closed my eyes. "Closing your eyes isn't going to make the question go away." S hit what was I suppose to say.

"Don't be offended." He was now almost glaring at me. Great way to make an impression.

"What did you call me?"

I sighed. "I called you a pretty boy jock, okay I call Lucas that too, I didn't mean to offend you, I just, yeah…I'm sorry."

"Well if it wasn't meant as anything, I really don't care what you call me." Whoo that was really close.

"What did you want?"

"I'm hungry and we thought we could grab a bite to eat somewhere and then go to the dorms?"

"Sounds like a plan to me, I'm starved."

I grabbed my carry on and started walking towards the exit, where the rental car was waiting for me. They followed behind me.

"Look don't mind her man, she doesn't always think before she speaks."

"It's cool, I had just never been called that before." He laughed a little.

"I'm assuming you have girl you left behind too?"

"Yeah, I do, and it sucks."

"I know."

We finally reached the exit and I grabbed the keys from the person holding them, and went and got in the drivers seat.

"No way Haley." Lucas said as he reached for the keys, but I put them in the ignition before he could, then locked the doors.

"Haley come on no, you'll kill us." Lucas tried to get to the door before I locked it.

"I'm only unlocking the door if you promise to leave the keys alone."

He nodded his head and then whispered something into Nathan's ear. I saw Nathan look at me and then get a huge grin on his face.

I didn't like it, but I unlocked the doors anyways. Before I knew it Lucas and Nathan had me out of the car, Nathan had my arms and Lucas had my legs. "Dude I swear I'll castrate both of you if either one of you drops me." I was so serious.

Nathan let his grip loosen on me. "Nathan something something, I don't know your middle name and I don't know your last name, but I'm not joking I will castrate you, and if not that, make you sterile!"

He laughed and regained his grip, "You scare easily you know."

"That's all fine and great but please Lucas, Nathan please put me down." I whined. Nathan nodded towards Lucas giving him the go ahead. Lucas dropped my legs, but Nathan kept my arms in his grip, until Lucas had started the car, and then he made a sprint for the passenger side, leaving me to climb in the back.

I got in and crossed my arms over my chest not saying anything. Lucas laughed and so did Nathan. They were already becoming buddies, not a good thing. Lucas pulled out of the airport parking garage and got on the interstate.

"Do you even know where you're going?" I spat from the backseat.

"Yup, anywhere there's food." Lucas answered as he began playing with the radio.

"Lucas watch the road, Nathan can play with the radio."

He turned his head back, "I'm glad I have your approval." He smiled.

I began playing with my fingers, I really was turning into Lucas. I needed to call someone. Peyton, that's who I needed to call, and inform her that her boyfriend was a complete jackass. I reached for my cell phone, but sat it back in my purse when the radio turned down.

"So you're smart?" It was Nathan again. Why he had talk to me was beyond me.

"Somewhat."

"Haley don't be modest."

"I have reason to be modest, I didn't get valedictorian."

"I know and it's a terrible thing, but its over with and your in Texas now." Lucas turned up the radio some, switching it to a country station.

"What classes are you taking?"  Nathan asked turning himself more towards the back seat.

"General psych honors, Midwestern lit, organic chemistry honors, biology II, and public speaking."

"Who you got for psych honors?"

"Maxwell."

"Me too."

There it was again, that damn awkward silence. What was I suppose to say, I wasn't good with idle chit chat, I never had been. I nodded my head silently.

He turned towards Lucas. "What position do you play?"

Lucas turned down his country music. "Wide receiver."

"Cool."

"I think so, what position do you play?"

"Point guard."

"Cool."

Silence.

"Are we going to eat anytime soon, I'm hungry?" I stated from the backseat.

Lucas laughed and took the next exit, "Taco Bell good?"

"Fine with me."

"Me too." Nathan added.

We arrived at Taco Bell, two minutes later.

I unbuckled my seat belt, and moved to open the door, but when I was about to open it, someone opened it for me. I scooted out of the seat and finally let my legs drop down. Nathan was waiting by my door. I looked at him like he had lost his mind.

He walked in after shutting my door like it was the most natural thing in the world. He held the door for me and went in after I did. They had to have something in the water back in North Carolina.

We ordered our food and the guys were done within ten minutes, I still had another chicken taco to finish.

"You going to eat that?"  Lucas asked.

"Are you still hungry Luke?"

"Yeah kind of."

"Take it then."

"Wait a minute, he gets your food because he asks, and do I get your food if I ask." Nathan was completely serious.

I laughed at him, not realizing how serious he was.

"Sure, but you got to work towards that?"

"What's that mean?"

"It means I don't give my food to just anyone, I have to trust you."

"Are you saying we should be friends."

"No, I'm saying if you want my food you got to be my friend."

"Well then I guess I want to be your friend."

"No, see I don't like that idea."

"Haley…" Lucas warned again.

"What?"

Nathan looked completely clueless.

"Forget it." Nathan said still completely lost. "You Oregon's are something else."

I slit my eyes at him, "what's that suppose to mean?"

"Nothing."

"I didn't think so." He laughed.

I rolled my eyes, "Are we ready to go piglet?"

Lucas finished chewing his food, "Yeah, let's go." He handed Nathan the keys. He walked towards the exit. I grabbed a hold of Lucas's arm.

"Ugh. Lucas that's not cool! We barely even know him, and your letting him drive."

"Haley chill, I've hung out with the guy before, you can trust him."

"You know I don't trust anybody."

"I know, but he isn't going to hurt you Hales."

"Fine!" I went outside and opened my door and got in before pretty boy jock could get to my door.

Lucas got in the car soon after. He started the car, and pulled out of Taco Bell. "Do you even know where you're going?" I questioned annoyed.

"Believe it or not I do. I took a tour of the campus, and my girlfriend and I ate at that exact Taco Bell and I drove us back to the campus.

"I'm touched, really."

"Haley…"

"Sorry, I just don't know you is all."

"And I don't know you." He glanced back at me in his rearview mirror. His eyes were sincere.

"Right…"

He turned his attention to the radio.

About five minutes later we were at the university. I got out of the car and took my luggage with me. "Bye."

"Haley you're not going to walk to your building by yourself!"

"Fine then big brother, come with me."

Lucas got out of the car and grabbed my backpack from me. "Come on."

Nathan got out of the car and walked on the other side of me. "You want me to take that for you?"

"Well if you're offering." I said handing my bag to Nathan.

We walked in complete silence until we found the correct building. "Thanks you guys, I think I can take it from here." Lucas gave me a hug and told me to call Peyton, while Nathan stood behind. I didn't want to trust him, I really didn't want to, but he didn't seem that bad.

"So do you mind me asking why you want Haley to be your friend so bad?"

"I don't, I mean not really. I don't like to be not liked, that's probably why you think I'm being nicer than usual, but I'm really not. I really don't need her as a friend, however if we keep hanging out, I have a feeling that we will have to learn to get along."

"Listen man, the thing with Hales is she is the best friend in the world, once you're her friend, but it takes a lot for anyone to become her friend."

"Do you mind if I ask why?"

"I don't mind, but it's not my story to tell. If you get in good enough with her, she will tell you herself, but I can't say anything."

Nathan nodded his head in understanding.

"You're probably use to everyone telling you everything, without you having to ask, and you're also probably use to being everyone's friend, but if you want to be Haley's friend, you have to work at it."

Nathan laughed, "I don't think I will be working to hard, she's pretty cold."

"Nah, it's just a front, but don't tell her I told you that, she might just kill me, or castrate me."

They both laughed at the earlier hours events.

So I absolutely hated this chapter with a passion, but I couldn't really do much better than this. I'm so glad that y'all are enjoying this. This is probably my favorite story that I have, but that's because I know where I'm going with it. I'm not good with details. Anywho, criticism is wanted. And I like long replies. I like to know what you like and what you don't like. And have no fear Addy is not gone.

Mandie


	5. What Llies Ahead Cannot Be Foretold

**Okay so here is Chapter 3, I don't know how much I like it, I like it more than the last, so that's a good thing because I despised the last chapter. This chapter is to dig into the characters heads more. I hope you enjoy this chapter, I'm still trying to set everything up. This is a work in progress. I made a new banner and added all of the major characters, and since people were asking for a picture of Addy. As always the feedback is wonderful and keep it up, it keeps me going. Thanks again! On with the update…**

**Chapter 3**

_What lies ahead cannot be foretold…"_

**Haley**

I looked for the key that I had received in the mail to open the door to my new room. I dug it out of my purse and stuck it in the lock, I twisted the key and turned the knob. I slowly opened the door and came face to face with a baseball bat. I stepped backwards.

"Who are you?" the girl questioned me with the baseball bat up to my nose. A strong southern accent.

"I'm Haley."

She dropped the baseball bat on the floor, it crashed on the floor loudly. She ran straight into me, throwing her arms around me. "Haley." She shouted my name right beside my ear. I pulled away slowly, not wanting to offend her.

"Yeah I'm Haley."

"You're from Oregon right?"

I nodded. "Yeah I'm from Oregon." I wasn't about to ask her how she knew that. Was I supposed to know where she was from? I hoped not, because I had no clue. The only thing I knew about this girl was that she had dark brown hair, blue eyes, a southern accent and she was short. Doesn't exactly say much, she could be from anywhere. However at first glance she gives off this whole I'm from a gang and I want to blow your head off because you aren't wearing my colors, but then after she realizes who you are she gives off this I'm a southern girl who loves everyone vibe. A very odd mixture if you ask me.

"What's your name?" Maybe I was supposed to know it, but with everything that went in since I graduated, I didn't do much reading up on what appeared to be my roommate."

"Emily Ann." She said her voice just as country as before. I was definitely going to have to get use to her accent, because at the moment it bothered me a little bit. She was looking at me as if she were trying to figure me out, by just looking at me. First she looked at my hair, which was down and flat as a bored. I was going to have to get use to this weather. Then her eyes moved down to my eyes, she tilted her head to the side like she was trying to decide something about them, then my nose, and then my lips. If she didn't stop with the eyes soon, I was going to think she swung the other way. She stopped on my neck and then quickly let her eyes trail down my body and then back up again to my face.

I smiled, with my mouth shut, "It's nice to meet you. Where are you from?"

"Mississippi, well that's how you northerners say it, but it's really Missippi."

"Oh alright, I will have to try and remember that." I smiled again.

"Do you have any bags that I can help you with?"

"Yeah there outside the door."

"Holy crap, you didn't leave them there did you?"

'They have my name on them."

"Oh dear sweet Jesus, Haley this is Austin TX, not some little town in Oregon, it doesn't matter if you have your name on it or not, it's a five finger discount if you leave it out in the open." She had already opened the door and was dragging a suitcase into the dorm. I grabbed the other one and shut the door, I locked it assuming that was what I was supposed to do.

I brought it towards the open bed and sat it on there, and looked around the room. There was stuff strung out everywhere, this whole mess thing, was going to have to be fixed. Haley James and messes don't mesh well, I'm not so sure this is going to work, and I'm not so sure I like my new roommate.

**Lucas**

Nathan and I had managed to get ourselves lost looking for our building, worse then I did when I was with Haley, we found it twenty minutes later than what we intended, making it a total half hour of looking for a building. I wouldn't admit to getting lost if he didn't. His room was across the hall from mine, which would probably make Zoë happy. Zoë was gung ho about us being buddies, I knew she wanted me to keep him out of trouble, but that wasn't my job. If he wanted to hang out, we would. But he was going to have to get use to Haley, because I made a vow to a lot of people that I would take care of her. I think if he gives it enough time, she will come to accept him, well part of me wants to believe that, but the other part knows Haley better than everyone but Peyton, and I know she doesn't trust new people easily if at all. All because of her stupid real dad. The thought of him sent something straight to the part of my head that triggered murder. I didn't even know her then, but the thought of anyone trying to hurt Haley just did something to me. But maybe with time she would learn that Nathan is an okay guy, or at least that I know of. From what I can tell he is totally in love with my cousin, which is a good thing, because if he hurts my cousin, he and I will have it out. He might be tall but I'm strong.

I had opened my door and thanked the God above that my roommate was a no show for today, he could come tomorrow just so long as I got here first all was good. Well maybe not everything, I missed Peyton more than anything in the whole entire world. I had a feeling that Nathan and I would be friends, we can relate to each other. He misses Zo, and I miss Pey. We are a lot alike in a lot of ways. I began unpacking my bedding, no way was I going to sleep on just a mattress, no matter how tired I was. I had the bottom sheet almost all the way on when someone knocked on my door. I was hoping it wasn't, well I really didn't want to see anyone right now, so I was hoping it would go away. When it didn't I got my top sheet fixed and opened the door. It was Nathan.

"Hey I can't get into my room." What was I suppose to do about it. I was tired and I wanted sleep.

"Tell you what, why don't you take the other bed in here and in the morning you can go find out why you can't get in." I offered, because I wasn't going to send him to a hotel, that would be wrong and Zoë would eat me alive.

"Thanks man." He brought his luggage in and immediately began making the bed across the room from mine.

I was adjusting my comforter when my cell phone began to ring, "Love will come through." I smiled, it was Peyton.

"I grabbed it off of my bag, "Hey beautiful."

She laughed, which made me smile. She was the only one who could do that to me. "What are you doing right now?" the sound of her voice put me in my Peyton trance, as Haley liked to call it. "Thinking of you of course."

"You know your lame lines get you nowhere."

"But it's not a line."

"Good. Did you make it to your dorm okay?"

"Yeah, Nathan's here."

"Nathan? I have heard of him before."

"Zoë's boyfriend."

"Ohh, how did Haley like him?"

"She didn't."

"Not surprising, and the funny thing is he is probably totally her type."

"He's taken Peyton, Zoë remember? And she goes for the whole surfer boy look, this one has school leader written all over him."

"He have blonde hair?

"Nope, and he's got blue eyes."

"S s o maybe not Haley's type."

"He's taken it wouldn't matter."

"I'm going to try and come with your parents when they bring the rest of your stuff."

"Really?"

"Yeah, if I can get off work I will."

"Well then I will be praying that you get off. I miss you so much Pey."

"Believe me I know, if you miss me half as much as I miss you I feel sorry for you." I laughed.

"How did your art exhibit go?"

"It went good, there were just a lot of people there that I didn't expect, like Brice Westover, he was there and so was his little brother. I didn't think I would ever see them again, but turns out Brice is going to the same college as me."

"I see." What was I suppose to say, I'm glad that your parent's best friend's kid that they wanted you to marry is going to the same college as you. That just puts my mind right at ease.

"Luke…" she warned, "Don't go there, I told you before Brice and I will never be, I'm with you and only you, I love you, you have to know that."

"And I do, but Brice is one of the biggest players in Winfield."

"It's just a front, he's not that bad."

"Your suppose to be comforting me not worrying me more."

"I'm sorry, Brice is a complete loser, who doesn't deserve the time of day. Better?"

"Yeah a little."

"I wish I were there with you, the things I would do to you right now." She was great at changing the subject.

"And what would that be?"

"It's too bad to say over the phone."  I laughed at her.

"No I'm sure it's not anything we haven't done before."

"Well no, but I'm not going to say it over the phone." She let her embarrassment show.

"I love you." I told her for the umpteenth time that day, but when you love someone like I love Peyton, you can't say it enough.

**Emily Ann**

This Haley girl seems cool, she is just incredibly guarded. She hasn't said much since she got here. I haven't been really making much of an effort though. Maybe if I make and effort, than she will.

I approach her cautiously, trying to think of a subject to strike up a conversation with. My favorite subject should work. "You have a boyfriend?"

I questioned her as she placed everything into her drawers at a snails pace. She shook her head no, but something told me there was more to it. "Did you have a boyfriend?" I tried again, she shrugged. I hit a nerve, so she did have a boyfriend.

She sighed, "Yeah I did."

"What was his name, or is it a sore subject for you to talk about?"

She let out a laugh, "Well, seeing as how the subject will probably come up again, I might as well tell you now. I had a boyfriend, his name is Ethan, we broke up because I came to Texas and he is still in Oregon, before you ask our relationship was one hundred percent dysfunctional. We fought all the time, and we had some serious issues, but we managed to make it work for three years, yes I'm still in love with him, and no I don't plan on getting back together with him, but you didn't ask all that and you probably think I am a complete moron, spouting off information that you could probably care less about."

I laughed, I liked this girl, I didn't think I did, or even that I would, because I'm a fairly difficult person to get a long with but I for the time being I liked her. That summed up a lot about her. "No I don't think you're a moron, I'm glad you told me that, but why did you?"

"In all honesty, I have no idea, I have been trying to get a hold of my best friend Peyton for the past hour and she has been on the phone with her boyfriend, who just so happens to be here with me, and I don't know, I kind of needed to vent is all I guess."

"I'm glad that you did." I was so happy that she let me in enough to tell me that, this couldn't be all bad.

"What about you, you have a boyfriend in Mississippi?" she questioned me from her spot on the bed.

"No, I did but we broke up when he moved. We were together from the seventh grade to my junior year in high school. I was so in love with him. He was the be all and end all of my world you know?" My eyes drifted downward at the thought of Isaac. His clear blue eyes and his sandy blonde hair; I missed him, that much was for sure, but I would find someone else, I had too.

"I'm sorry but if its any consolation I know how the whole be all and end all of the world is, I was there, in fact I'm probably still there."  She sighed, and closed her eyes.

I officially loved my roommate. This would work. I thought for sure that I would hate her, but I love her to death. She is the sweetest person I think I have ever met in my life. I could get down on me knees right now and thank the Lord above. Maybe he did answer my prayer. Daddy would be proud that I prayed, maybe I should. I wonder what kind of family she came from. Her clothes didn't say much about her, she liked Old Navy that much I could tell by the Old Navy T-shirt and flip flops. She didn't have on a lot of make up, from what I could tell she had on maybe blush, and some mascara, and possible lip gloss. She wasn't one of those who thought about herself all the time, which was obvious by her appearance. Her legs were tan, tanner than I would have thought living in Oregon, maybe she fake baked. She was pretty, but not in the beauty queen kind of way, her beauty was simple. Where I had to try, with make up and designer clothes, she didn't. It was also official that I hated her. I loved her to death but she was pretty, and she didn't know it. I never did like those girls, the ones that look in the mirror and see something 'ugly' and go on about their business; because it was these girls that were usually very beautiful, and she was one of them. She was probably really smart and here to get a good education. She was probably always on time, and never had a B in her life. I never would have imagined me liking someone like her, but I did. There was more than met the eye with her; it was just a matter of getting to know her, but in order to get to know her, she would want to know more about me, and I am not exactly sure I want to let her in.

=================================

**Nathan**

Lucas has been on the phone with Peyton for the past hour, and I can't bring myself to sleep. I need to say goodnight to Zoë, but every time I call her cell, her voicemail picks up. I hear Lucas laughing and it makes me miss her more.

Today has been quite a day. I close my eyes, to recall the day's events, something my grandpa taught me to do, especially on bad days, because thinking back on your bad, will usually make you think of something good that happened, and then you will smile when you realize that no day is all bad, because there is always something to smile about, or at least that's how he put it when I was six. Ever since I have done that, and it usually helps me when I think my world is going to crash on top of me. So I close my eyes and think about what happened today. Well for one I said goodbye to my family, well my mom, but either way, I said goodbye to Jason, who I think is going to miss me more than I originally thought. I got on a plane and met a little girl, thinking about her made me smile, she was to smart for her own good, but she knew that. So that was one thing to make me smile. Then I got off the plane and reacquainted myself with Lucas, who is probably going to be one of the only friends that I have while I'm down here. I decided after she left that I was going to make safe friends, friends that wouldn't get me in trouble or let me get in trouble. Lucas wasn't the same Lucas I had met in North Carolina; he was a more down to earth Lucas. Then I met Haley. I smiled again. So meeting her wasn't a bad thing, like I originally thought. I know there is a lot to her, and while I originally didn't really want anything to do with any other girls, maybe she could help me stay loyal to Zoë. She didn't like me, which much was obvious. She wasn't one of those girls who put up a front of not liking me either, when they we're secretly infatuated with me, I could spot those girls. I didn't like to brag, because that would be being cocky, and I wasn't cocky, that was my father. I frowned at the thought of that smug smile on his face when we finished saying 'goodbye'. But I could usually spot the ones who were faking hating me. Haley genuinely didn't like me; she didn't want anything to do with me. She wasn't rude, but she was very guarded which made me wonder why. Lucas knew, and he wasn't going to say anything about it. And what was with the whole taco bell issue and her food statement. There was more behind it. So far there were two things to smile about. I thought about getting lost, that didn't make me smile so much, I wasn't one to admit I was wrong. While I said I wasn't cocky, I had pride, which was one of the things I inherited from my father, not something I was proud of, but not something I could change. I frowned again, thinking of him made me do that. I let my mind wander back to when I was seven and I was on my grandpa's lap. That made me smile. Thinking of my grandpa always made me smile. Finishing out the days events I had to smile because Lucas was gracious enough to let me stay in the room with him. I didn't want to have to go to another hotel, and then come back, I would most assuredly get lost. I closed my eyes and started to count my blessings, something my grandpa taught me to do when I couldn't fall asleep.

I was almost asleep when Jay Z's supertonic ring woke me up.

 "Hey you." I breathed exhaustedly into the phone.

"I'm sorry I missed you earlier, I had my phone charging and I was out with some of the girls from the team."

"Oh its okay I just wanted to call you and say goodnight. You know I can't sleep if I don't get to say goodnight."

"Nathan Scott you are such a softy." She giggled, which only made me smile more.

"When it comes to you Zoe Sherwood, I am, but I wont admit that to anyone else."

"I know because you have this big tough guy persona to put on am I right?"

"That you are." I was drifting off to sleep.

"Did you and Lucas find each other?"

"Yeah, I'm in the same dorm as him right now."

She squealed, "Really?"

"Yeah but it's not for good, it's jus until I can get the right key."

"Oh.."

"Did you meet Hallie?"

"Haley." I corrected her.

"Oh oops my bad, I was close." I laughed at her dorkyness.

"So I guess you met her."

"Yeah." I didn't like the tone of her voice.

"Does she like you?"

"Zoe…"

"What I just asked if she liked you."

"You will be happy to know that she is not interested, at all. In fact I think she has a problem with me."

"Oh… well become her friend."

"Zoe…"

"I just don't want you to meet someone else." Her voice was said.

"I know and I don't plan on it."

"You don't ever plan on meeting people Nathan, it just happends."

"I know that. And if you really want me to befriend her I will, but it's going to take some work."

"Maybe she can keep you preoccupied."

"I don't think she wants to keep my preoccupied."

"But your sure she doesn't like you?"

"I promise, she is kind of cold. She doesn't trust very easily, but you know what I don't want to talk about her right now."

"Well I like her already, just do whatever you can to be her friend. Wait is she pretty?"

"Zoe…"

"I'm serious Nathan is she pretty?"

"I don't know, she's not ugly, but she's not pretty. I don't think she wears much make up and she's short, you know my thing against short girls."

"How short?"

"I don't know she is probably 5'2 or close to that."

"Okay, be her friend."

"You realize how wrong that is right?"

"What to be her friend?"

"I don't see anything wrong with it."

"Fine, I'll do whatever to be her friend, just let's not talk about her anymore, what are you wearing?

"Nathan.." she giggled.

"What?"

**Okay so that was chapter three, and it's obvious that there wasn't any NH interaction but I'm going to try and get some in the next chapter, I just needed to introduce the characters and their thoughts on each other a little bit more. If you didn't like it, any of it, tell me. I want criticism, it makes me a better writer. Anyways, let me know what you think of it.**

Mandie


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